Improvement in means for propelling boats



w. H. HOLDA M.

Means for Pr'opelli'ng Boat-s.

Nd.155 0'25. PatentedSept.15,1874.'

Ja man I ATTORNEYS;

11E GRAPHIC OO,PHOT0LITH,39&4I FA R! PLACE,N.Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM H. HOLDAM, OF GRAB ORCHARD, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR PR OPELLING BOATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,025, dated September 15, 1874 application filed July 3, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HOLDAM,

of Crab Orchard, in the county of Lincoln and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Propelling Canal- Boats, of which?the following is a specifica tion:

In the accompanyingdrawin'g;Figure '1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of my improved device for propelling canalboats, taken on the line 0 c, Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 1 a

The invention will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the-claim.

In the drawing, A represents strong posts, which are set at suitable distances from each other into the banks of the canal. Two corresponding posts, A, at both sides, are connected at proper height above the water by lateral ropes, B, of wire or other durable material, from which are suspended directly, or

.by intermediate ropes, the guide-rope-supporting clips 0. The connection of the clips 0 with the suspension-ropes is made in such a manner that they do not cut or otherwise injure the ropes. The longitudinal guide-ropes D are arranged near both banks in such a manner that boats may be run in both directions on the canal without interfering with eachother in the least, the traffic being readily and conveniently kept up by transferring the boats for the return trip to the opposite guide-rope D. Horizontal friction-wheels E are keyed to the ends of vertical shafts E, and are turned by suitable gear-wheel connection with the main shaft of the engine at equal speed, but in opposite direction to each other. The friction-pulleys E are lined with rubber or similar material for passing easily over the clips or other irregular parts of the ropes, and

applied or taken off from the guide-ropes by means of fulcrumed levers F attached to shafts Shafts E are moved by the levers F in suitableslots of the supporting-frame, either toward or from the rope, so as to bring the friction-pulley in contact therewith, or release them. The application of the pulleys to the rope is accomplished by pivoting the opposite ends of the'levers F, by links a, eccentrically to a disk, 12, of vertical shaft d, and adjusting shaft d by means of a lever-pawl, e, and ratchet f, placed at a suitable part of the boat. By turning the lever-pawl to one side the friction-pulleys are instantly applied to the rope, and the boat is propelled thereby, being detached by turning the pawl in opposite direction, so as to rotate without imparting motion to the boat. A reversing-gear of the engine admits of the ready propulsion of the boat on the same rope for the purpose of backing up in landing, 85c. Lateral guiderollers or idlers G are applied in front and rear of the friction-rollers for taking up the sagging rope and guiding it in horizontal position to and from the friction-rollers.

A greater speed of the boat, with hardly any agitation of the water and washing of the banks, is obtained by this mode of propelling the boats, as wheels, rudders, or other parts 

